Operating mechanism for gates.



110. 772,301. PATENTED OCT. 11, 190 1. J. K. WHEELER. OPERATING MECHANISM FOR GATES.

APPLICATION FILED PEB.13, 1904.

N0 MODEL.

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aw-1114116016 N Patented October 11, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN K. WHEELER, OF OAKLEY TOWNSHIP, MACON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

OPERATING MECHANISM FOR GATES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 772,301, dated October 11, 1904. Application filed February 13, 1904. Serial No. 193,446. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it puny concern.-

Be it'known that 1, JOHN K. WHEELER, a

citizen of the United States, residing in Oaklarly to mechanism for opening and closing the same from a vehicle, but also capable of,

being operated by pedestrians.

The primary object of theinvention isto provide a gate-operating mechanism of a comparatively simple and effective nature having a positive operation and strong and durable in its construction.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of the several parts, which will be more fully hereinafter set forth.

The drawing shows a perspective view of a gate-operating mechanism and gate embodying the features of the invention.

The numeral 1 designates a gate operatively disposed between a latch-post 2 and a hinge: post 3. The said posts2 and 3, as shown, may be the terminals of a fence structure, and the post 3 is larger than the post2 and projected vertically above the gate. Any suitable means may be employed for movably attaching the hinge-stile of the gate to the post 3, and, as shown, a simple form consists of screw-eyes disposed in vertical alinement and having the hinge-stile of the gate passed therethrough. The form of gate shown is of metal and has a surrounding frame-bar, to which lattice-work is connected. As before indicated, however, the construction of the gate is not essential, and variations therein may be made at will.

At a suitable distance from the hinge-post 3 an upright 1 is erected, and in alinement with the latter is a post 5, the upright occupying a central position between the posts 3 and 5. A rock-shaft 6 terminally engages suitable bearing means or sockets located at the lower portions of the opposing sides of the posts 3 and 5 and is held against the inner face of the upright 4 by a bearing strap or clip 7. This rock-shaft, adjacent to opposite ends, has crank-arms 8 and 9 normally projecting inarm 10 is a connecting-rod 12, having its opposite end loosely attached to a link 13, disposed in upright position and movably engaging a portion of the lattice-work of the gate near the hinge-stile of the latter.

The inner sides, at the upper extremities of the posts 3 and 5, have recesses 14 formed therein, and thereover guard-straps 15 are secured.

Rigidly and securely fastened to the upper ends of the inner sides of the posts 3 and 5 and the upright 4 is a supporting-rail 16, having its ends projected beyond the posts 3 and 5 and reinforced by braces 17 attached at their upper terminals to the under edge of the rail, near the free ends of the latter, and at their lower ends to the said posts. Guardstraps 18 are secured over the opposite extremities of the rail 16 and project downwardly and are secured to the inner faces of the braces, said guard-straps serving as fulcrum-supports for operating-levers 19, loosely projecting through the slots provided by the recesses 14 and the guard-straps 15 of the posts 3 and 5. The operating-levers 19 are movably held at intermediate points by pivotpins 20, passing through the upper portions of the guards and said levers into the adjacent extremities of the rail 16. To the outer end of each operating-lever 19 a pull-rod 21 is movably attached and has sufficient weight to cause it to normally depend within easy reaching distance. The inner ends of the operating levers 19 have connecting-rods 22 movably attached theretoand to the eyes 11 of the crank-arms 8 and 9.

When the gate is closed, the crank-arms 8, 9, and 10 are projected inwardly in a horizontal plane, and the inner extremities of the operating-levers 19 are drawn downwardly, as

shown. hen it is desired to open the gate, the operator grasps either one of the pullrods 21 and draws downwardly thereon and actuates the shaft 6 in such direction as to cause the crank-arms 8, 9, and 10 to move upwardly into vertical position. The upward movement of the crank-arm 1O exerts a pulling action through the medium of the connecting-rod 12 on the gate 1, and as said connecting-rod is loosely attached at its opposite terminals to the arm 10 and the gate and is held at one end by the link 13, movably attached to the gate, jamming of the parts will be prevented and they will assume such position as to permit the gate to fully open, it being understood that suflicient rigidity exists in the connections between the crank-shaft 6 and the gate to positively arrive at the result sought. After passing through the opening between the posts 2 and 3 the operator can readily close the gate by pushing upwardly on the lever 19 opposite that preliminarily actuated to open the gate. By pushing upwardly on the lever, as stated, the crank-shaft 6 and its arms Will assume the normal positions shown.

The elongated crank-arm v1O, connected to the gate, is an essential feature in the operation of opening and closing the latter in view of the fact that its arc of movement is materially greater than the crank-arms 8 and 9, and by having said arm 10 located between the arms 8 and 9 the power applied through the levers 19 in opening and closing the gate will be more uniformly distributed over the shaft, and the latter will be more sensitive to actuation by either one of the levers without liability of the latter becoming jammed or failing to sufliciently move or rotate the said shaft. Furthermore, by having the arm 10 connected to the gate 1 through the medium of the rod 12 at a point below the center of the gate, as shown, and adjacent to the hingestile of said gate the resistance due to the weight of the gate will be materially overcome, and the operations of opening and closing said gate will be consequently rendered easy. By having the upright 1 arranged at an intermediate point or centrally between the posts 3 and 5 an advantage in the strength of the entire gate-operating mechanism results by reason of the fact that the rail 16, which is attached thereto at an intermediate point, may be constructed of lighter material, and the shaft 6 is braced through the strap or clip 7, secured to said upright, and is less liable to become broken or bent. The arrangement of the crank-arms 8 and 9 nearer the ends of the shaft 6 is also an essential construction, as the strain imposed on said shaft is thereby applied close to the points of greatest resistance to breakage of said shaft, said points being the terminal bearings for the shaft.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the gate-operating mechanism has been devised in such manner as to be sensitive to actuation, strong and durable, and positive in the operations of opening and closing the gate. The improved gate-operating mechanism can also be readily erected at minimum cost.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new is- The combination with a gate hinged at one end, of posts arranged in longitudinal alinement and to one of which the said gate is hinged, an upright between the posts, a rail rigidly secured to the upper ends of the posts and upright and terminally projecting beyond the said posts, a horizontal rock-shaft having its opposite terminals movably engaging the posts and also held against one side of the upright, the said rock-shaft having short crankarms near its opposite ends and an elongated crank-arm thereon between the upright and the post to which the gate is hinged, operating-levers fulcrumed on the projecting terminals of the rigid rail and having connecting-rods loosely attached thereto and to the short crank-arms, and a connecting-rod loosely attached to the elongated crank-arm and to the gate near the hinged end of the latter.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN K. WHEELER.

"Witnesses:

JOHN W. VENT, EARL GRIswoLn. 

